Topaz's Tale
by Topaz Fox
Summary: Topaz, a young storyteller, lost her home to the Heartless. Now she spends her days jumping from world to world, recording stories. Join her as she uncovers a hero's secrets, deals with romance, and looks for meaning in her everchanging life.
1. Chapter 1

(Hey everyone! Topaz here. This is just the first chapter in a fairly lengthy story. I have most of this story already written, so the other chapters should go up pretty quickly. Let me know what you think! -Topaz Fox)

**Disclaimer--**I do not own Kingdom Hearts or anything else related to it.

Topaz yawned from her bench overlooking the Olympius Colosseum arena. Olympius Colosseum was usually so busy and full of action, but today...it seemed that there was nobody there. Barely a dozen people were occupying the arena's huge seating area. Nobody at all was in the arena itself, and even the usual pushy Colosseum vendors seemed to be nonexistent. Topaz yawned again and propped her sandaled feet up on the bench in front of her. She leaned against the bench behind her, planning to doze off in the bright midday sun. _There's nothing to record today_, she told herself.

Although she was barely sixteen, Topaz was already a seasoned storyteller. When her world was first destroyed, Topaz had escaped to Traverse Town, but had found it rather dull there. Thus, she spent her days traveling among various worlds, the worlds that weren't supposed to know of each other, and collecting stories. Sometimes she was able to take the things she had seen and done and string them into new tales of her own. Words were her passion. She had been apprenticed in the art of writing by Jiminy, a wise cricket who inhabited her old world.

Her old world...her home. It had been swallowed that day by the unbearable shadows, the Heartless. She had wished to protect it. Some of her friends had been skilled in combat or magic, but not Topaz. She could use only words, and they did nothing in battles. _I'm worthless in that way, I guess._

Topaz drifted into troubled dreams of formless, wicked darkness, grasping with monotone claws, glaring with round candlelight eyes. Eyes that melted love and injected fear into all, eyes that scattered family and friends. The shadows surged closer, rippling like poisoned water, or black blood...

Suddenly, Topaz woke with start, remembering who and where she was. But what was that noise? A cheer? Topaz sat up straight on her bench and saw that the arena seats had nearly filled up. Hundreds of people in tunics and togas were surging with noise and talk. Vendors prowled the isles, trying to sell everything from meat kabobs to baklava. Topaz smoothed her short white tunic and her wild chocolate-colored hair, trying to appear presentable. The Colosseum was alive again. But...why so quickly...?

The vast crowd grew silent. The stadium announcer appeared. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he bellowed. "Welcome to today's Colosseum battle! Today we have the Hercules Cup lineup. Will Team Sora prevail once again?" The announcer was answered by an astonishing cheer. People began to chant, "SO-RA! SO-RA!"  
_Who's Sora?_ Topaz nudged the woman seated next to her. "Excuse me, but, ah...who is this Sora?" The woman, who was rather large with platinum hair pulled into a tight bun, peered at Topaz as if she were some rabid animal. "Who is Sora? Why, Sora is only one of the finest warriors in the galaxy! How have you not heard of him?" Topaz didn't respond. She was already caught up in the action taking place below.

A boy about her age with spiky brown hair stood between two freakish creatures: one a duck dressed in blue, the other a strange dog-thing wielding a shield. The boy raised a weapon Topaz had never seen before. It resembled a key, but much larger and with a razor-sharp edge like a battleaxe. The crowd cheered at the sight of the weapon: "Go get 'em, Sora!" "Show those Heartless what for!" "You rock, Keyblade Master!"

The first battalion of Heartless appeared in the arena. Topaz watched in awe as the spiky-haired boy (That must be Sora, Topaz told herself) defeated the Heartless in less than a minute. The crowd went wild.

Sora went on to defeat more and more Heartless. He was breathtakingly strong, and every fight seemed like a dance. Sora would swoop in, flanked by the dog-thing and the duck, and the three of them would weave in and out of their enemies until every one had fallen. The crowd, of course, loved it. Topaz spotted more than one "WE LOVE TEAM SORA" banner displayed proudly in the stadium seating.

In what seemed like no time at all, a slim blond man appeared at the edge of the arena. Topaz recognized him at once. _It's Cloud Strife!_ she thought, smitten. She had harbored feelings for him ever since she had first come to the Colosseum. "Go Cloud!" she shouted. Quite a few people shot her strange and even hateful looks. _That's funny. The last time I was here, Cloud was a crowd favorite! I've been away too long._

Cloud Strife gripped his Buster Blade tightly. Like a sudden flash of lightning, he dashed towards Sora, long cape aflutter, and raised his weapon high. Sora blocked the blow with amazing speed and parried with an attack of his own. Cloud received the blow gracefully and didn't even flinch. Instead, he stiffened his single, leathery black wing and exploded into the air. He circled a few times, and then swept down to attack Sora. Sora rolled out of the way just in time, and Cloud only grazed his leg. What's more, the dog-creature loped up and bashed Cloud over the head with his shield. Topaz was aghast from her spot in the stands. "This just can't be," she muttered. "Nobody can beat Cloud, least of all a kid and some circus freaks...!" But she couldn't have been more wrong.

The warriors down in the arena were locked in a hypnotizing display. Topaz watched with horror as her dear Cloud fell gradually into defeat. At last, when Sora knocked him down, he couldn't even rise to his feet again. Sora was pronounced the winner, and the arena rang with cheers and shouts of victory.

Topaz snatched up her notebook and pen and began to write furiously. _How are heroes created?_ she wrote. _They are not born of flesh, like normal people, but are born of strength: strength of body, strength of mind, and strength of heart. Most importantly, a hero is born of love._

The crowd became dead silent. "Ladies and gentlemen!" the announcer blared. "Now presenting the clash of two heroes you've all been waiting for! I present Hercules, son of the gods, challenging our current champion Sora!" The cheers that followed were earsplitting. In the arena below, the dog and the duck were gone, and Sora alone stood before the powerful Hercules. Topaz bought a hot, sweet-smelling honey cake from a vendor and settled down to watch the battle. There was no way Sora could beat Hercules...especially not one-on-one.

The fight began explosively. Herc began to glow a pale gold, like the full moon. Sora assaulted him swiftly, but the Keyblade (for Topaz had guessed that was what it was) bounced off and did no damage. Sora was unfazed. The young hero grabbed one of the many barrels that had appeared in the arena. With wonderful might, Sora hurled the barrel into the air towards Hercules. The barrel hit Herc hard on the head and exploded on contact. Hercules looked a bit dazed as Sora attacked. Eventually, Hercules regained his soft golden aura, and the process began again.

Topaz watched excitedly. She paid close attention to Sora, recording some of the things she saw in her notebook. The hand that wasn't writing held the honey cake, and between paragraphs Topaz would take big bites of the delicious pastry. Not long after she finished eating, Hercules staggered and fell to the ground.

Sora tapped the fallen warrior with the end of his Keyblade. Satisfied, he raised he weapon high above his head, and the crowd's cries were so loud that they seemed to almost be solid. The stadium announcer reappeared and shouted, "Ladies and gentlemen, our champion has kept his crown! Our next match will be in three days, same time, same place. There are trash receptacles positioned in the lobby and near the Colosseum gates. Thank you all for coming!"


	2. Chapter 2

An hour passed. Almost all of the spectators had left. All but one or two of the vendors had dissipated, and the arena was silent once more. Topaz was still sitting on her bench, editing and adding more to the contents of her notebook. Finally, she looked up and realized with a shock that the sun was on its way down! She gathered her things and headed for the world exit, satisfied with the day's events. She was still a little mystified by that boy, Sora, but she had a strong feeling that she would learn more about him later.

Topaz had passed through the lobby and was about to leave through the giant gates when she spotted something. Instantly, her stomach knotted up. There was Cloud Strife himself, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, looking right at her. His icy blue eyes evaporated all of her courage.

She started to panic. How many other people were there here? Three? Four? She was practically alone with her secret crush! _And he's staring at me! What am I gonna do? I need to make the most of this. I should say something. But what can I say that won't make me look like some idiot stalker? I don't even know him!  
_

Desperately, Topaz fell upon the one plan that never failed. She continued to walk toward the gates, looking straight ahead. Just before she reached out to open the great wooden doors, she shot Cloud a fearless, feminine look. Topaz knew perfectly well that her eyes were her greatest assets. They were bright gold with flecks of ivory, the color of...well, topaz. The two were locked in a silent gaze for just a moment, long enough for Cloud to really notice her, and then Topaz pushed open the gates and left.

Waiting there was her spaceship, the Snow Raven. It shone blue-white in the waning sun, giving off the frozen appearance that gave it its name. This ship had belonged to Topaz's parents, before...Topaz shook the thought from her head. "The past is past," she said aloud, "and there's nothing I can do."

She pushed down on a plate of metal on the side of the ship. The plate popped open to reveal a tiny keyboard. Topaz used the keyboard to type a six-digit number, which caused something in the ship to whir and click, thus unlocking the door. She lowered the metal plate back down and disappeared inside the Snow Raven.  
Topaz stumbled past old furniture and piles of notebooks to the control panel. She tapped a few buttons and heard the satisfying rumble of the ship's engines. Before she took off, however, she typed something on the Snow Raven's large internal computer.

A screen popped up from nowhere. Pictured on it was a girl's face. The girl was pretty, but a fake kind of pretty, obviously enhanced by tubs and tubs of makeup. She had pin-straight blonde hair and muddy-colored eyes. Topaz said into a microphone, "Snow Raven to Cassiopeia, do you copy?"

"Hey, you! What's up?" The blonde girl sounded as ditzy as she looked. Topaz rolled her eyes. "Nika. Do you copy?"

"Yeah, sure, 10-4 good buddy and all that stuff. So what's up?"

Topaz sighed with exasperation. "Nika, I need you to tell me if you've ever heard of a boy named Sora." Nika laughed. "Hey, who hasn't? He's, like, totally famous. Keyblade Master and Chosen One and all that stuff. So what about him?"

"Tell me where I can find him."

Nika pretended to think. Finally she said, "Well, like, I dunno. Let's ask Dee!" With that, the screen switched to a small Heartless with long antennae and yellow eyes. Topaz screamed. "Nika! There's a Shadow in your ship!" "Well, duh," came Nika's voice. "There are lots of shadows and all that stuff in my ship. The lighting's kind of lame in here."

"No, I mean a Heartless Shadow! Kill it, Nika! Kill it!"

Nika's face came back on the screen. "I'm not gonna kill it, silly billy! That's my new pet. I named her Dee. Isn't she cute?" Topaz shouted into the microphone, "Nika, those things are responsible for our world's destruction! They killed our family. Don't you know that?"

"Like, whatever. You're so paranoid."

"You know what? I'll find Sora myself!" Topaz pushed another button and the screen vanished. "I swear," grumbled Topaz, "I can't believe I'm blood related to her."

At long last, the Snow Raven was ready for takeoff. Topaz punched buttons and pulled levers. Eventually, the ship's engines became louder. Topaz raised the shields and set the ship on an auto-piloted route to Deep Jungle. The whole ship hummed with the power of the engines. Topaz pushed a big, green, square button and the Snow Raven lifted into the air and sped out of sight.

The auto-pilot route was slow, so the ship did not reach its destination until the early hours of the next morning. Topaz awoke from a thin sleep when the ship touched down onto the green vegetation of Deep Jungle. She smiled and recited a phrase her mother had used often: "Another sunrise, another day/to live my life in every way." _Mom...I wonder if you're still living your life at all..._

Topaz ate breakfast and dressed in the animal skin she always wore when visiting Deep Jungle. The sun wasn't even up when Topaz left her ship behind in search of the local clan of gorillas.

Later, the sky bloomed scarlet and citrus pink, and the sun rose. Topaz watched it rise from her vantage point on a sandstone cliff. She inhaled the soft, sweet jungle air and glanced at the ground below, where the gorilla clan had gathered. The big, gentle beasts seemed to be gathering food or something. Topaz intently watched the leader of the clan, a big silverback called Kerchak. She wrote in her notebook, _Kerchak lifted his head skyward and sniffed the air. The world, his world, smelled of sunrise and awakening. He could not detect any sign of Sabor, the great wildcat who terrorized the clan of gorillas._

Topaz's pen stopped moving. Where was Sabor? On her last few visits, Topaz hadn't once come across the fierce cat. Could someone have finally killed him...?

Topaz hugged her knees tight to her body. The sky had almost been cleansed of the sunrise's stains; all that remained was a rim of red on the horizon. Topaz's thoughts began to drift. _Life is funny,_ she thought. _Sometimes it has a plot, and there's so much happening that you just want to stop and catch your breath. Other times, it's so slow and lifeless, you can't wait to start doing something..._

Simian screams scraped into the air. The grating sound made Topaz jump, and she accidentally dropped her pen off the cliff in the process. She crawled to the cliff's edge and looked down, not sure of what she might find. The gorilla clan was being attacked, but not by Sabor. The clan was being attacked by Heartless.

The Heartless resembled mechanical blue monkeys. "Powerwilds," whispered Topaz. They were currently twittering excitedly and bullying every gorilla that could not sufficiently defend itself. Kerchak was in a rage. He pummeled every Powerwild he could, but even that was not enough. There were dozens of them now, and they were closing in fast. Topaz was thinking of trying to help the terrified gorillas when she heard a cry.

The cry was fearsome and undoubtedly human. Suddenly, three figures erupted from the brush. Topaz gasped. It was the Team Sora trio from the Colosseum! Topaz could hardly contain her glee. The boy she was looking for was right there in front of her, in a real life-or-death fight! It was too good to be true.

Sora wasted no time, dashing into the fray with his two comrades. He swung his Keyblade up and to the side, taking out two Powerwilds and injuring a third. The dog-creature with the shield threw himself forward, shield in front, and body-slammed a whole group of Heartless. The weird duck waved a dangerous-looking wand, and enormous plumes of fire lashed out. The battle did not last long, and soon every Powerwild had been slain.

The gorillas fled the scene. Team Sora, however, remained to poke around the surrounding shrubbery. The duck picked up Topaz's pen. "What's this?" he squawked. Sora looked over. "Uh...I dunno. It looks like a pen." The dog-freak examined it closely. "Who would've lost their pen here...?"

"It's mine," called Topaz from her rocky perch. She scrambled, barefoot, down the cliff side and finally stood on the ground before Sora and friends. The three warriors seemed startled, and had drawn their weapons to attack. Topaz raised her hands reassuringly. "Whoa there," she laughed. "I'm not dangerous. No need to attack." She pointed at the pen. "I think you have something of mine."  
Sora looked blank, then snatched the pen from the astonished dog-thing. "Here," he said with a smile. "Sora," cried the duck, "why are you even talking to her? She could be a Heartless!" "Donald!" Sora snapped. "Stop being so..."

"It's quite all right," said Topaz. "I can see why you wouldn't trust a wild-looking stranger like me. You can't be too careful. But trust me, I'm no Heartless." Sora handed Topaz the pen, the tips of his fingers brushing against her hand. Sora had the most fiery blue eyes Topaz had ever seen, and, well, he was sort of cute. _In a puppy-dog way, at least._

"Thanks," said Topaz. "My name is..."

"Topaz!" Something very small hopped out from Sora's pocket. It took Topaz a moment to realize what it was. "Jiminy Cricket! You're alive!" Jiminy hopped onto Topaz's outstretched hand. "So far, anyway," he laughed. "Gepetto and his son made it out okay, too. You won't believe what we've been through in the past months!" Jiminy turned to Team Sora. "Topaz, these are my friends Sora, Goofy and Donald. Sora, Goofy, Donald...this is Topaz, my apprentice from back home. By the way, are you still writing, Topaz?"

"You bet. I would never give up working with words. Actually, I'm currently recording the actions of these three." Topaz gestured at Goofy, Donald, and Sora. "Maybe you could tell me some things...?" Donald cut in sharply. "Sorry, but we have work to do." "Maybe some other time," said Goofy apologetically. "Well, you heard 'em," said Jiminy. "I guess we gotta split." Sora grinned and shook Topaz's hand. "It was great meeting you, Topaz. I hope we really get to sit down and talk one day. Till then...bye."

The band of heroes said farewell and evaporated into the dense jungle. Topaz explored the cliff and its nearby bamboo grove for a while more, and when night started to fall, she retreated into her ship to write. "The days go by so quickly," she said to the gossamer twilight sky. "I guess it's good I'm here to write them down."


	3. Chapter 3

(Hey there, readers! Topaz here. Somebody brought up something about Cloud: His true love is Aerith, they're meant for each other, etc., etc. This is something that I know very well. I do agree that they make an adorable, timeless couple :) To everyone out there who may be concerned about this Cloud-OC pairing, please know that the Aerith thing will show up later in the story. Till then, enjoy! -Topaz Fox)

A week slipped by in what seemed like a moment. Topaz, as usual, jumped from world to world in the Snow Raven, but she did not come across Team Sora again. One day, she found herself with an odd urge to go to Olympius Colosseum, although there was no battles taking place there that day.

As soon as she arrived, Topaz flung herself down on one of the long couches in the Colosseum lobby. She pulled out her notebook and pen and tried to write about lots of different things. Strangely, though, her writing always strayed back to Sora. She swatted away his image as if it were a fly. _Why can't I stop thinking about him?_ she thought, frustrated.

After a while, Topaz gave up and let herself write about the young hero. She jotted down musings and speculations, as well as observations she had made in her brief encounter with him. She remembered the way he touched her hand and wrote, _I think so much fighting and being a hero has made him lonely. He seems to have good friends, I guess, but the way he looked at me...I can't help but think he wants something more. There is a piece missing from the puzzle of his existence. I really am intrigued by this boy, and would love to learn more about his past. What caused him to fight against the Heartless with such vigor? I saw the way he slaughtered those Powerwilds. He's not just doing this for sport._

Topaz filled more and more pages in her notebook. She lost track of time, absorbed in her writing. For the most part, the lobby remained empty, until suddenly...

"Uh...excuse me." Topaz jumped. She had forgotten that other people existed. She peeked up over her notebook to meet a pair of frozen blue eyes. _Cloud Strife!_ Topaz's heart was beating so fast, she could've sworn it was vibrating.

"What's your name?" Cloud's voice was so smooth and cool and mysterious. Topaz started to feel faint. She noticed that Cloud smelled a little like snow, even though the sun was blazing like summer outside.

"Um, it's Topaz." _Cloud Strife is asking my name! MY NAME! Whoa!_

"Well, Topaz..." Cloud looked away and said, "Philocetes wants you to leave."

"Oh." _So that's all. Nothing personal or anything._ Topaz half-squinted at Cloud. I wonder if he even remembers me at all. "He...doesn't like people loitering for so long," said Cloud softly.  
"Have I been here that long?"

"He says you've been here for hours."

_Oops. I've overstayed my welcome again._ Topaz felt a slight flush rise to her cheeks as she gathered her things. She stood up straight and gave Cloud a fake-confident grin. "Didn't mean to stay that long. I'll be going, then." She started to walk away when Cloud called, "Wait." Topaz turned around, surprised. "Yes?"

Cloud gave her a divinely strong and mystical look. "You're that girl from...before." The gate incident. "Yeah, I am." Topaz returned his gaze, feeling a little rush of joy. _He DOES remember me! I can't believe it._

Right then, Cloud Strife actually smiled. "Here." He handed her a white envelope. "I have a big match coming up, and..." He looked down. "I'd like you to come. The details are in the invitation. Don't lose it, or you won't be allowed through the gates." Topaz blushed bright red. "Oh, um...thank you. Really." She gave him a genuine, loving little smile. "I'll be there. Bye." With that, Topaz turned around and left.

She maintained her composure until she got to her spaceship, but as soon as she set foot inside, she screamed into a pillow. "Cloud Strife asked me on a date! Me! On a date! With him! This is amazing!" She started waltzing with the pillow, humming a melody as she tripped over stacks of notebooks in her way. She danced around and around and finally fell, dizzy, onto her threadbare old bed. "This is like a dream," she told the pillow. She used her finger to trace along the lines in its stitching. She was blissfully silent until she remembered the invitation. She pulled it from a pocket in her tunic and hastily tore it open.

Inside was an ornate piece of paper. It was decorated with two vaguely human figures, golden and featureless, who trailed around the paper's border. Near the top of the page, the figures crossed what looked like spectral swords. Directly under the swords, it read:

**Invitational Event!**  
On the night of the year's sixth full moon, taking place at Olympius Colosseum, a historical battle will unfold. Cloud Strife, merciless mercenary, has emerged from his intensive training and has challenged Sephiroth, the great general, to a fight. This will be a match to remember! Please bring this invitation to the Colosseum lobby at precisely 10:00 at night. Dress code for this occasion is casual to formal. We look forward to your presence!

Topaz gazed lovingly at the slip of paper. The night of the year's sixth full moon...that was in just two days. _I wonder who else will be coming...it ought to be great._ Suddenly, Topaz bounced to her feet. "This is cause for celebration!"

She set an auto-piloted course to Neverland. As the ship drove itself slowly through space, Topaz fixed a cup of hot chocolate and made herself dinner.

Topaz slipped her only coat, a big fur that had belonged to her mother, over the jeans and cotton shirt she had changed into. She set the ship to hover mode, so that it would remain sedentary. Next, she took her dinner plate and her hot chocolate and made her way up a small set of stairs. She pushed a button on the ceiling. With quite a bit of noise, a section of the ceiling slid back to reveal a clear path to the deck of the Snow Raven.

She clambered up through the big hole and onto the cold metal ship exterior. She was glad she had worn her fur; the wind was blowing and, as usual, it was cold this high up. Before she got situated on the ship's deck, Topaz surveyed the scene she loved the most of any world: Big Ben.

The huge old clock tower was truly a magnificent sight. It was like a peninsula of dreams, jutting out over the stewed blackness of reality. It seemed to add character and a kind of awe to the atmosphere around it. The Snow Raven was exactly level with one of the four great clock faces. All four faces were round and big and wildly orange as a harvest moon in autumn. Each face was also spiderwebbed with cast iron numerals, and in the center of every face was a pair of fine old hands that always kept time perfectly.  
Topaz finished her dinner, her only company the great glowing face of Big Ben. After she put her dirty dishes away, she sat silently on the deck and admired the clock. _I think Big Ben's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen. Besides Cloud, that is._

Something flew around the top of the clock tower, above the clock faces themselves. At first, Topaz thought that it must be a flock of birds, but as the beings came closer, Topaz realized something strange. The silhouettes in the night sky were not birds at all. As far as Topaz could tell, they were human.

The shapes soared closer still. Some of their features became visible, and Topaz realized she was partially right: one of the figures was a bird. Donald, Goofy and Sora were zipping through the air before her. When Topaz got over the initial shock of seeing them flying, she called out to them. "Hey! HEEY! You guys! It's me, Topaz! Come here!"

_Did they hear me?_ After a moment, they stopped flying freely about and made a beeline for Topaz's ship. Topaz watched in awe as each said hello and alighted on the ship's deck. Sora grinned. "I had a feeling we'd be seeing you again. What's up?" Topaz shivered in the cold and grinned back. "Come on inside, and I'll tell you."

Everyone made their way carefully down into the ship. Topaz closed the ceiling hatch and set out bread, cheese and tea for her impromptu guests. She pushed some notebooks off of a sagging couch and sat down. "So," she asked cheerfully, "how is everyone?" "Fine," said Goofy just as brightly. Donald devoured a hunk of cheese. "We heard there was a...phantom creature in this area, but we can't find it. Have you seen any evil ghost-type scoundrels lurking around?"

"Can't say that I have." There was a slightly awkward silence. Jiminy hopped onto the scarred coffee table. "Topaz, this place is a wreck! Do you seriously live here? I thought I taught you how to be tidy," he scolded. Topaz laughed. "Sorry, Mr. Jiminy, sir, but I'm just not a 'tidy' person." "Reminds me of someone else I know," said Goofy, elbowing Sora in the ribs.

The five talked a bit stiffly about unimportant things until Jiminy made an observation. "Topaz, you seem so happy right now. It's strange to see you with such...such a glow. Do you mind if I ask why this change of heart?" "Yeah," said Goofy, catching on. "Now that'cha mention it, she is a lot more cheerful than last time." Topaz giggled secretively.

Jiminy seemed to ponder something and then said, "I get it now. _He_ did this, right?"

"Mr. Jiminy, who's _he_?"

"Why, I don't know. Whoever the _he_ is in your life." Topaz quivered happily, much like an overexcited puppy. "I guess you could say that," she murmured, half to herself. Sora looked disappointed. "You mean...you do have a _he_ in your life." It was more a statement than a question. "Of course I do, silly," teased Topaz. _Does he have a crush on me? I'm flattered!_ She continued coyly, "Don't tell me you don't have a _she_. You're so cute; how can you not?"

Sora blushed. "Well...I-I guess I do, but..."

"But what?"

"But..." He fidgeted. "She's not here anymore."

_Not here? What can he mean?_ "Where did she go?" Sora responded slowly, "She was captured. By the Heartless." Topaz felt a good story coming. "Tell me everything," she said a little boldly. "Please. Start to finish. Let me see your memories, and let me write them down, if you'll allow me." Sora seemed a little hesitant. Jiminy faced him comfortingly. "Sora...I know it's...painful. But if you share your story, you'll feel better. I promise." Sora looked like he was going to cry for just a moment, but then his eyes gleamed with strength. Not the strength of a warrior, but the greater strength of one who had suffered loss. "Okay, here goes."


	4. Chapter 4

(Hi, it's Topaz. This is a pretty short, sort of dull chapter, so hang in there! It goes uphill from here, I promise. Hold on to your hats! -Topaz Fox)

Topaz went on to record a heart-wrenching tale that began on an island of carefree days. The trouble began when Sora had a disturbing dream involving darkness and fear...but there was also a light. A very strange light that talked to Sora in the tonelessvoice of a soul and gave him a weapon and told him to open a door. It seemed a little confusing, but captivating nonetheless.

Sora awoke from his dream later, and that was that...or so he thought. A couple of days later, Sora found a frightening stranger who talked about darkness, and then later the island had been swallowed by the Heartless. Sora got a little choked up in telling how his lost Kairi, his _she_, and Riku, his rival and dear friend. Sora said he felt, in a way, responsible for their loss, because the dark fiend that had attacked his island was born of Sora's own shadow...born of the jealousy and hate and want in his heart.

The shadow fiend had thrown Sora into a strange world known as Traverse Town. There, he had met up with Donald, Goofy and Jiminy, and also three people named Leon, Aerith and Yuffie. Sora learned about the Heartless and the plight of the worlds, and went on to defeat a powerful Heartless called Guard Armor.

From Traverse Town, Sora went to many worlds and learned many new things. Sora talked of everything he saw: grinning cats who would disappear, cards who acted as soldiers, apes and jaguars, evil hunters, lost dalmatian puppies, heroes and villains and hellish guard dogs, among other things. Sora told of sealing Keyholes, thus protecting the worlds from any further onslaughts of Heartless. He went on to speak of finding Riku in Traverse Town, and later realizing Riku had become a profound enemy. Voyages to even stranger worlds followed: an underwater realm of fish-people, a land in the desert that held glorious riches, a spooky place devoid of color, a pirate ship, and a giant whale who swallowed so much debris that he had created a world in himself.

The hours slid by as everyone lost themselves in this story of adventure. Sora told it so well that Topaz felt as if she were actually there, writing down what she saw. Sora finished with how he and his friends were currently training to travel to a mysterious world where Heartless ruled. It was supposedly the axis of Heartless activity, and was the cause of all the sudden evil in the network of worlds.

As Sora finished his tale, Topaz looked up at the clock. "Whoa! It's past midnight! Oh, I'm sorry for keeping you so long." "You didn't," said Jiminy. "Sora wanted to tell his story, and so he did." Donald stretched. "And what a story it was! Well, still is. I really can't believe we lived through all that!" Sora nodded. "Yeah, it's pretty amazing. Such is the life of a hero, eh?" He laughed.

Goofy said, "Topaz, thanks for lettin' us stay here like this. It was fun!" Topaz smiled. "Yeah, it was." She looked at Sora, happy to finally have a better understanding of him. She caught his eye, and he returned her gaze with a cute smile. _He's so sweet. I gotta say, he might rival Cloud in gorgeousness when he gets older. Oh...I hope he helps that girl he's looking for. He...no, they both deserve it._

Everyone climbed back up onto the deck. "Are you sure you don't need a ride back to...wherever?" Topaz asked. Goofy pointed to an iridescent dot in the sky. "The gummi ship's right up there, y'see? We'll be fine." Sora said, "Thanks for letting me talk about everything. I really feel a lot better now." As he looked at Topaz, she noticed his eyes were made up of rings of dark and light blue, making them seem to glow. They were shocking and beautiful. _Just like his heart._

Goodbyes were said, and Sora, Goofy and Donald each flew up, up into the night sky. Topaz stood on the Snow Raven's deck and waved until she could see them no more. Finally, she crept back down into her ship and changed into her nightgown. As she lay in bed, drifting off to sleep, she thought, _It's truly amazing how so much can happen in twenty-four hours. There are so many possibilities..._ She marveled at the events of the day until she, at last, drifted into the first deep sleep she had experienced in years.


	5. Chapter 5

Topaz spent the next day dreaming about and preparing for the night of Cloud's big battle. At one point, she looked in her closet and found something horrible: she found she had nothing good to wear. She madly dug through her whole wardrobe, but discarded one outfit after the other. "Too casual. Too fancy. Too slutty. Too matronly. Too...bleargh. Ack! What am I going to do?"

Then Topaz had an epiphany. _Why, of course! Shopping!_ She gathered her special savings (4,678 munny) and set a manual course for Traverse Town. As she navigated her way past asteroids and Heartless ship formations, she smiled to herself. _It's been the longest time since I've gone shopping. I can't wait! This'll be so much fun!_

The Snow Raven touched down at last in Traverse Town. Topaz changed into the perfect shopping outfit (jeans, of course, and a butterfly-patterned shirt that cinched slightly around the waist–very flattering), grabbed the purse with her munny in it, and set out on her quest for the perfect party clothes.

She began her search at the item shop, since they carried all manner of things there. She asked the three young ducks who ran the place, Huey, Dewey and Louie, if they had any party dresses in stock. Dewey looked uncomfortable. "Uh...I think we have a few, miss. But we don't have many. Louie and Huey...?" The other two small ducks scrambled into a back room. They emerged a few moments later with a small rack of colorful garments. "This is every dress we have," said Huey. Topaz flashed them a smile. "Thanks."

Topaz began to look through the rack. First, she found a shapeless monstrosity of ivory eyelet material. _Ew. This might have been fashionable about seventy years ago._ Next was an emerald green velvet gown, complete with gold trimmings on the long sleeves and skirt. _This is pretty, but way too fancy._ Then came a horrible frock in red-and-white plaid that had a super-short skirt which was squeezed over several petticoats. _What the heck is this? It's atrocious!_

Dress after dress proved insufficient. Topaz found the stock to be like a bad thrift store; there was nothing any sane person would wear.Soon,she had gone through the entire rack, and nothing seemed to work. Louie said, "We're sorry we could help you, miss. Can we get you anything else?" Topaz leaned on the wooden counter. "Um...a chocolate bar, please. Thanks."

As Topaz munched her chocolate, she asked the three little ducks where else she could find a dress. "There are stores in the Second District, right? What about those?" Huey shook his head. "Sorry, miss, but you must not have been here in a while. Those shops have been closed for months because of the Heartless. Try the Accessory Shop instead."

Topaz followed Huey's suggestion and went to the nearby Accessory Shop. "Hello," she said amiably to the clerk at the counter. "Do you have any party dresses here?" The clerk snorted. "No. This is an accessory shop, not a clothier." Topaz's eyes flashed a little. "Um...excuse me?" "You heard me," retorted the clerk. "Dresses aren't accessories, last time I checked. Peh! Young people these days." Topaz felt herself bubble with rage. _That ungrateful son of a...! No, no, Topaz. Calm down. The sugar from that chocolate is affecting you! Don't explode on this guy!_ But it was too late.

"You loser! What kind of a moron would talk to a customer like that? What are you, huh? Some sort of Heartless pig? No, I take it back–you're not a pig. You're a boar! What the heck are you even thinking? You can't be good for business! And last time I checked, Cid ran this place! Where is he anyway? You could learn a lot from him! Not only is he a lot more buff than you, he knows how to treat customers well! I am not coming back here again!" With that, Topaz turned on her heel and left the astonished clerk by himself.

"That was...interesting," breathed Topaz to herself. _Maybe I was a little hard on him, but how could a guy like that even...! Ugh. I gotta leave. I have a perfect dress to find._

Topaz made her way to her ship. Immediately, she set a course for Agrabah, thinking of the vast market streets there. The perfect dress was probably waiting for her in some market stall.

After a shortish drive, Topaz arrived in the desert world of Agrabah. She had only been here once before, but everyone had been scared away by Jafar, the evil vizier. Topaz knew now from Sora that Jafar was dead, so she was free to shop. Happily and hopefully, she stepped through the city gates, not quite knowing what she'd find.

It was like nothing Topaz had ever seen. The streets themselves seemed to be alive with movement and color, there were so many people. Men, women and children bought and sold dozens of different things in the stalls that lined the road. Topaz saw produce stands, rug weavers, livestock sellers, jewelers' booths, perfume and makeup makers, bakery stalls, and even one area where "harmless and tamed" Heartless were being sold. Topaz glared at the Heartless sellers. _That is downright awful. I wonder if Nika got that Shadow of hers here?_

At last, Topaz found what she was looking for. Off in a corner was a dressmaker's booth, adorned with banners of brightly-colored silk that read **Baba Nina's Dress Shop**. Topaz couldn't help but smile. _Wow! Finally! This looks promising._

She greeted the dressmaker jubilantly. "Hi there. I'm looking for a party dress...one that I'll wear to Olympius Colosseum. Do you have anything of that sort?" The dressmaker, an older woman with dark skin and silvery hair, grinned. "Oh yes, of course! Old Baba Nina has just what you need, child! Come." The woman led Topaz to a display of the most beautiful garments Topaz had ever seen. They were all a mass of wild and nameless colors, each different in style and texture. It was quite a sight.

Baba Nina gestured proudly toward the dresses. "Choose any one that speaks to you, child. You do not pick the dress; the dress picks you."

Topaz looked up in awe at the wall of clothing. There were short dresses, long dresses, velvet and satin and silk and linen dresses, dresses adorned with lace or gemstones or metallic fringe. Some dresses were simple, hardly more than a skirt and bodice, while others were ornate, with sleeves like tapestries and patterns that resembled the sky or the sea. Topaz gazed at each and every one, and finally, her eyes came to rest on one that absolutely perfect.

It was a pale shade of lavender with a gold trim. It flowed freely like water, except in the spots where it was gathered gracefully with golden thread. The long sleeves were split from just below the shoulder to just below the cuff, designed to elegantly show the wearer's bare arm. The skirt was relatively short, and the dress itself seemed to be made of a cross between silk and linen. For Topaz, it was love at first sight.

She stared longingly at the majestic dress. Baba Nina followed her gaze. "Ah. That one is a very fine choice for you, my dear. It will show off your golden eyes." "How much is it?" asked Topaz, a little dazedly. Baba Nina crossed her arms. "Well, normally, I would charge 3,000 munny for a dress of that kind. You have fine tastes, child. But...I will charge you 2,000 munny for it." The old woman winked. "I can tell it is for a special night."

Topaz bought the dress without hesitation. Inside, she was dancing with joy. _I got it! I got it! It's more perfect than any dress in the history of dresses forever and ever! This'll be perfect!_

Before leaving Agrabah, Topaz purchased a pair of gold chandelier earrings that matched her dress and fluttered exotically against her neck when she moved. She couldn't have been happier at that moment in time. She was in good health, she had munny, she could write, she was safe, and her first real encounter with the man of her dreams would definitely be a good one.

At last, the big day came. Topaz woke up quite a bit earlier than usual, she was so consumed by excitement. She trekked to Wonderland, to the tranquil Lotus Forest, to try and soothe her mind, but everything she saw reminded her of Cloud. She was completely infatuated.

She settled beneath a big red flower to edit her Sora story. She noted happily that it was coming along quite nicely, and before long, it would be finished. _I wonder if Cloud would like my writing...? Eek! There I go again!_ Topaz blushed to herself, dizzy with the way she couldn't concentrate on anything. The moments seemed to crawl by like hours, until finally...

Topaz was eating dinner in her ship when she glanced at the clock. "Oh! Time to get ready!" She could hardly believe it was the big night. It was really here! More than once, Topaz pinched herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. _It's real! It's really real! And if this is some sort of dream, don't let me wake up._

Topaz glided around, dusting and painting on a little makeup (not too much–she didn't want to look like a clown) and getting dressed. She swept her hair into a neat bun, leaving one wavy lock down to frame her face. The excitement in the air was so sharp and thick, it seemed to have a presence of its own.

The ship rumbled along on its auto-piloted route to Olympius Colosseum. Topaz fussed and fidgeted endlessly in the mirror, fine-tuning her makeup and hair, until at last she felt the ship land. Turning to the mirror one last time, she blew herself a kiss for confidence. She slipped on comfy leather sandals with short wedge heels, grabbed her invitation, and departed for the best night of her young life.

Outside the lobby, everything was dark and quiet. Topaz shivered. _I've never been here this late before._ She strode towards the door to the lobby and found a monster of a man blocking the door. Timidly, she handed the invitation to the hulking guard. He looked over the paper, grunted, and stepped aside. Topaz's heart fluttered. _All right, let's go. It's time..._


	6. Chapter 6

A crowd of well-dressed people was gathered inside. Topaz glanced around in awe, trying not to appear dumbfounded. _There're so many people here! It looks like a cocktail party, not some kind of sporting event. This is a bigger deal than I thought._ Topaz edged her way over to a low table laden with drinks and fancy cheeses. At a loss, she poured herself a drink from one of the unlabeled bottles. She sniffed her goblet. _This...is this...alcohol? Oops._ She left the drink on the table and tried to find someone–anyone–she knew.

"Oh, Topaz! Topaz! Look over here! It's me!" Startled, Topaz turned around with sort of a sinking feeling. "It can't be," she muttered. But, sure enough, Nika came trotting out of the crowd toward her.

Nika looked faker than ever. Her long face was painted even more heavily than usual, and her hair was forced into stiff curls. She wore a skin-tight pink satin dress, and to top off the look, she carried a brightly-colored drink in one hand.

"Topaz!" squealed Nika, hugging Topaz with her free arm. "Imagine seeing you here! Did Philocetes invite you?"

"Are you kidding? Phil hates me."

Nika leaned closer, perplexed. "But this thing is invitation only. How did you, like, get in?" Topaz looked down and blushed. "I was invited by...Cloud Strife."

Nika looked a little shocked. "He invited you, invited you?" Topaz flashed a little smile. "Yeah, he did." Nika sipped her drink and said, "That's awesome! I'm kinda amazed. He's, like, only a year younger than me. Which would make him nineteen and all that stuff."

"I can do math, Nika. I'm not four."

Topaz was smothered in another of Nika's hugs. "I know! I'm just so thrilled that my little cousin is growing up and dating older men!" Topaz managed to wiggle out of her cousin's embrace. "It's not really a date. And he's only three years older than me." Quickly, she changed the subject, saying, "Why did you come here, anyway? You're not a regular Colosseum-goer." "You silly," chirped Nika, "that doesn't matter. Sephiroth invited me."

Before Topaz could say anything else, a voice boomed from a loudspeaker mounted on the ceiling. "All spectators of tonight's invitational battle, please make their way to the arena seating area! This epic fight is about to begin!" Some of the people in the lobby cheered, and the whole crowd began to shuffle slowly out to the arena stands. Nika grabbed Topaz by the arm. "Like, come and sit with me. It'll be fun."

The Colosseum at night was quite a sight to behold. Big torches burned around the edges of the seating area. The arena itself was illuminated by two huge spotlights that Topaz had never noticed before. As she walked along behind Nika, Topaz wondered to herself, _Where are the fighters? I haven't seen either of them at all._

A while later, everyone had taken their seats. The stadium was filled with the pleasant buzz of hundreds of people talking in low voices. Finally, the Colosseum announcer appeared and stood in the center of the arena. "Ladies and gentlemen!" he shouted. "I welcome you to the fight of the year: a battle between Cloud Strife and General Sephiroth!" The stadium reverberated with cheers.

One of the spotlight beams swept to the far side of the arena. There, in a circle of white light, stood Cloud. He was dressed in his usual suit of half-armor, made up of equal parts metal and cloth for increased flexibility, and wore his trademark tattered cape over one shoulder. Cloud held his famous Buster Blade, huge and ominous as ever, balanced onthe capelessshoulder. "In this corner," bellowed the announcer, "we have tonight's challenger, the infamous warrior Cloud Strife!" Topaz cheered as loud as any of the other Cloud fans in the stands.

The second spotlight beam made its way to the other side of the stadium. There stood another man, taller and thinner than Cloud. The man had long hair the color of mist, and he wore a black robe. Like Cloud, he had one wing, but this wing was covered with shining black feathers. "And in this corner, we have the grand swordsman, General Sephiroth!" Topaz heard Nika screech something that sounded like, "I love you, Sephiroth!" Topaz nudged her in the side. "I gotta admit, he's certainly not bad-looking," she said teasingly.

Both men were poised for attack. The announcer scampered away, leaving the two great warriors alone to fight each other. The very atmosphere tensed almost sickeningly, until the sound of a bell stabbed the air. The two fighters sprang to life.

Their swords met at the center of the arena. The two blades scraped forcefully against one another, sending showers of sparks into the night air. Sephiroth swung his long, thin sword at his opponent, but Cloud managed to leap away. Sephiroth's sword plunged into the ground where Cloud had been. While Cloud was still airborne, Sephiroth used his sword to boost himself into the sky, swinging his fist straight at Cloud's face. Cloud managed to raise his sword in time and blocked the attack. Both warriors landed again, and Sephiroth managed to take his sword out of the ground before Cloud could get in a hit.

They went on like this for a long time, evenly matched. For every clever assault, there was an equally clever block or parry. They almost seemed to mirror each other in their violent dance.

An hour flicked by in an instant. Cloud and Sephiroth were both getting out of breath, but neither had suffered any serious wounds thus far. They stood opposite of each other, panting hard. It was so quiet, a pin hitting the ground would have sounded like gunfire.  
Sephiroth suddenly rushed at Cloud with his sword high above his head. Cloud raised his sword to block the other man's weapon, but at the last moment, Sephiroth lowered his blade and slashed Cloud's unprotected leg. Even from the stands, Topaz could see Cloud shudder with pain. Scarlet blood flowed from the cut and stained Cloud's dark clothing.

Topaz was anxious. _Cloud is much smarter than that. How could he've been fooled by a simple fake-out? He's getting tired, I bet. That's why._ "Come on, Cloud!" she cried. "You can do this!"

The two of them managed to keep fighting, but more and more injuries were made in the process. Cloud broke Sephiroth's guard and landed a direct hit on the General's wing, which shuddered and began to shed bloody feathers. In anger, Sephiroth used the dull side of his sword to hit Cloud's ankles. Cloud buckled and fell to his knees. Sephiroth used this opportunity to thrust his sword down violently at his opponent, but Cloud managed to roll away just in time.

As time passed, the fighters grew more and more exhausted. The blood of both warriors splattered the arena like a dark mosaic. It was a little scary, watching two people continually wear each other down so much, but that was the thrill of battle.

For Topaz, though, this had gone beyond thrill. Her heart had practically jumped to her throat. Every muscle in her body had tensed to the breaking point. She found herself shouting encouragements more and more, until she forgot where she was. She was no longer just a spectator. In her heart, she was part of the fight.

The match looked like it would end soon. _How can this possibly continue much further? The two of them are almost dead! They can barely even move!_ As if to prove her wrong, Sephiroth used his woundedwing to barrel into the air, flying around like some horrific, blood-drenched demon. Cloud was trying his best to guard himself, but it was plain as day that he was struggling. Sephiroth shot upward, using the ink-black night as a veil for his body. Cloud looked all around in a desperate search for the powerful General, but it was all in vain. Sephiroth had simply evaporated.

Suddenly, there was a fierce cry. A blurred shape descended from the sky, straight at Cloud. Cloud raised his sword at an angle over his head to deflect the assault. Topaz clenched her fists so hard that her knuckles turned white. _There's no way Sephiroth can get through that defense!_ Still, Sephiroth charged on, weapon held out straight in front of him. He was horribly hawk-like in his attack...and Cloud was this hawk's prey.

The tip of Sephiroth's long sword met Cloud's Buster Blade. The two weapons deflected each other with a loud clang. Somehow, while still airborne, Sephiroth used the energy of his sword bouncing off Cloud's sword to swing his weight up over Cloud's head. Time seemed to slow. Topaz was terrified. She suddenly knew what was going to happen. She watched, powerless, as Sephiroth continued to swing around so that his legs were aligned with Cloud's back. While his body was still in the air, Sephiroth plunged his sword into the bloodstained ground. The force from this action sent the General backwards, like some sort of reverse missile. Sephiroth's heavy black boots smashed into Cloud's back, sending him crumpling to the ground.

There was deep silence. The announcer dashed cautiously into view and crouched near Cloud's unmoving form. "Ladies and gentlemen..." said the announcer sternly. Everyone held their breath. "He's out cold! Sephiroth is the winner!"

Sephiroth raised a gloved hand in victory. The stadium was filled with a deafening boom of both cheers and boos. Cloud was taken away by the medics, and Sephiroth was helped out of the arena. The fight was over.

Nika's annoying voice brought Topaz back to reality. "That was an awesome fight! I gotta say, Topaz, your man rocked pretty hard. But he was no match for Seph!" "Cloud's not my man," insisted Topaz, blushing.

The snow-perfect full moon was almost exactly overhead. "I gotta get home," said Topaz. "It's past midnight...I should be asleep." Nika peered at her. "Topaz! It's totally not like you to skip out on a party like that."

"The party's over, Nika."

Nika winked. "Nuh-uh! There's still the post-fight party to go to."


	7. Chapter 7

(Greetings! Topaz, checking in. Extreme Cloud-Aerith fans be warned: this chapter includes some Cloud-OC romance...please don't hurt me...(cowers behind a rock) But anyways...enjoy!)

Topaz was dragged back to the lobby by her enthusiastic older cousin. Once there, they saw that a secret door had been lifted in the lobby's tiled floor. Most of the people who had watched the fight were filing down through the small opening. Nika pointed excitedly and chirped, "Look! I told you. This is gonna be a total blast!"

Cheerfully, Nika pulled her cousin through the throng and down a small, crowded stairway. Every few feet, fat candles set into the walls lit the way. The white noise of chattering people seemed to quiet down a little bit in that mysterious passage. _This is getting more amazing by the minute! Where the heck are we going, anyway?_

Finally, the stairs ended, turning into a towering half-oval doorway. As Topaz and Nika shuffled through, a breathtaking sight crashed onto them like a wave. They were standing on what looked like a wide, circular deck dotted with people. Positioned at intervals around the deck were sleek tables laden with refreshments and some of the same long couches that decorated the lobby. Tiny round spots of cold-hued glass on the walls and ceiling glowed blue, green and purple, making the room's atmosphere sort of chic and mystical.

Topaz broke away from Nika and ran up to the iron railing that rimmed the innermost part of the deck. She looked down and saw a huge, round area filled with people. The area was easily as big as the stadium. In the very center of it stood a round stage, pale and empty. In its entirety, the place was truly astounding.

Nika came up beside Topaz and leaned on the railing. "Not a bad place they have, huh?" "Not bad?" breathed Topaz. "Are you crazy? This is amazing!" Nika laughed. "Like, obviously, I need to take you to more parties." Neither one talked for a fewmoments. At last, Topaz asked, "Nika...do you ever...miss anyone from home?" Nika blinked. "Where did that question come from? That was, like, totally out of the blue."

"I...don't know. It's just...I miss Mom and Dad and Kabira sometimes. The last couple days, I've been so busy and excited for tonight, I haven't really thought about them. But now..." Topaz smiled sadly. "Now, it seems like my emotions are making up for lost time."

Nika smiled in a real, kindly way, which she was unaccustomed to. "Oh. Well, Topaz...I miss them all too. All my family and friends...I like to think that they're out there somewhere, missing me like I'm missing them. I'm, like, totally lonely. Which is why I bought Dee. But...about Dee...you were right about the whole evil thing. So I got rid of her." Smiling at the shocked expression on her cousin's face, Nika added, "Yeah, I know. I decided to listen to you for once.

"But now you gotta listen to me. I figured out that, even though it's important to love and miss someone, you shouldn't, like, fall into depression and all that stuff. Which you haven't been, by the way. Still, I just wanna let you know that you need to live in the present. It's important to miss someone...but even so, missing them won't bring them back. You gotta just keep living your life. It's definitely what your loved ones would want you to do."

Nika straightened up and grinned. "So, now that I'm done being, like, all philosophical, I'm totally ready to go find my sweet Sephiroth! See ya, Topaz." Without another word, Nika turned around abruptly and walked away. Topaz shook her head. _I swear, she's so...bipolar...sometimes. But...at least she makes sense._

Topaz helped herself to a big slice of honey cake with sweet butter cream icing and sat on one of the couches. The whole time she was eating, she thought of what Nika had said. For once, there was a lot of truth in her words.

After she finished her cake, Topaz wandered down to the huge lower level of the area. Something sharp in the back of her mind told her to be on the lookout for Cloud. Topaz dismissed the thought almost immediately. _He was hurt pretty badly. There's no way he could possibly be healed in time to attend this party._ For some reason, Topaz's own words made her a little bit sad. She told herself that it was fact, but didn't bother to extinguish the little flame of hope dancing in her heart.

Topaz picked her way through the crowds to an unoccupied couch. Before very long, the Colosseum announcer himself clambered up onto the circular stage. "Ladies and gentlemen," he shouted predictably, "I welcome you all to tonight's post-fight bash!" Everybody cheered. _Man, can this guy work a crowd, or what?_ "First of all, kudos to both fighters in tonight's battle. Boys, I know you're out there somewhere. Don't be shy! Come up on stage!" Thunderous applause erupted up around the whole room, but eventually died off when neither Cloud nor Sephiroth appeared on stage. The announcer shrugged, making everyone laugh. "Huh. Thought I'd give it a try, anyway.

"Next order of business!" he continued. "Allow me to introduce tonight's first special performer, miss Alice Blanque!" More applause and cheering ushered an angelic-looking girl up onto the stage. The girl was tall and slim with huge, dark eyes and wavy flaxen hair. She picked up the hem of her simple white dress and curtsied, bringing on more applause. Topaz watched with some interest. _Hmm. I wonder what this Alice girl can do. She's probably even younger than me._

Silence settled easily, like a linen sheet, on the people in the room. The girl on the stage composed herself delicately and began to sing. The song that flowed from her lips had no words, nor any musical accompaniment; it was merely the lilting of her voice. The melody flowed sweet as nectar through the immense underground room.  
Topaz listened intently from her spot on the couch. She was so entranced by the singing that she did not notice when someone sat down beside her. She didn't hear the gentle breathing or smell the scent of snow that was characteristic of only one person in Topaz's life.

Alice Blanque ended her song. A few musicians clambered up on stage. As soon as the performers were ready, Alice began to sing a syrupy pop song that Topaz knew pretty well. Topaz was amazed at how well the ethereal singer could carry such a modern tune.

_I am still unbroken as of now/And yet I see my destiny/My fate is to have you/Break me/This I see plain as the moon/Hanging in the sky/And you and I/We're still together/Although I know/Someday I will be broken/By you/But here tonight/It feels so good/So right/Don't hurt me yet/Please let me be/I'm still unbroken..._

Some of the couples in the area got up and started slow dancing. Topaz spotted Nika drag a hesitant Sephiroth up near the stage to dance. The way the tall, silver-haired young warrior held Topaz's mindless cousin so close...so lovingly...it got Topaz daydreaming about her own warrior. _Where is he, anyway?_

"She's not a bad singer." Topaz's heart practically jumped into her throat. She didn't even have to turn around to know who was sitting there with her. She tried to act cool and natural, but she didn't know if she could. "Yeah," was all she could manage. Her insides felt like a hundred butterflies fueled by sugar. She turned slowly around to meet the icy eyes of her ultimate dream, her ultimate prize: Cloud Strife. He was in a new suit of half-armor, this time without his signature cape. He was bandaged in several places. Cloud smiled. "It's good to see you here, Topaz."

Topaz forced a tiny smile back. She tried to crush the hyperactive butterflies inside of her before saying, "It's great to see you too." She eyed Cloud's patched wounds. "Are you okay? That fight...looked like it hurt. A lot." Cloud blinked. "I have to be okay. I can't miss my own fight's after-party, can I? Philocetes says it would be bad for business."

Quiet descended uncomfortably on them both. At last, Cloud said, "So, Topaz...tell me about yourself. What do you do? Are you a warrior?" Topaz shook her head. "Hell, no. I'm no warrior. I'm about as useful in battle as a blind slug." Cloud laughed a little, somewhere deep down in his throat. Topaz continued, "I guess I'm a writer. A storyteller, really. I take the things I experience and write them down. I take a little creative license, of course, but for the most part, I'm a recorder of the world as we know it."

Cloud nodded. "Interesting. So you must do a lot of things and go to a lot of different places, huh?"

"You could say that."

"In my opinion, you should give fighting a shot. It's pretty interesting, and after all, the more things you do, the more you can record." He looked at her in an odd way, like he was sizing her up. "You could probably be a decent archer. You...have the upper body for it." Topaz, who still wasn't used to having a normal conversation with her fantasy, instinctively crossed her arms over her chest. Cloud blushed bright scarlet. "Uh..." he stammered. "That's...not what I meant." Topaz laughed a little uneasily. "Oh. Um...okay."

As the night wore on, Cloud and Topaz became more and more relaxed in each others' presence. Topaz asked about Cloud's life, and Cloud asked about Topaz's. Topaz told Cloud about jumping from world to world in her trusty spaceship, and regaled tales of the things she had seen. She also told him of how her home world was destroyed, and how her family and friends were all scattered...or dead. "Except Nika," she said. She gestured toward her slightly tipsy cousin, who was still standing near the stage with Sephiroth. Cloud raised one perfect arched eyebrow. "She's your cousin? Who two...certainly...aren't anything alike." Topaz giggled. "You can say that again."

In turn, Cloud told Topaz about his home, which had also been overrun with Heartless. He said it had been a breathtaking world of climbing castle spires and intricate waterways, surrounded by waterfalls that actually flowed upward. He talked about grand mahogany halls and a library that held every wise book ever written. Most fondly, though, he talked about the people that used to live there. He had a few friends: a perky little ninja girl, a quiet warrior boylike himself, and a man in his twenties who built spaceships. "Gummi ships," he called them. _The same ships that Sora mentioned. _Cloud went on and on, Topaz listening to him, wishing the night would never end.

For unknown reasons, there is something about late nights that inebriates a person, even if they don't touch alcohol. It's like moonlight gives someone privileges to do things they would never dare try in daylight. As time marched well past midnight, Cloud and Topaz seemed to be drawn toward each other, and before long, they were sitting right next to each other. Topaz felt dizzy as she realized Cloud's leg was against her own. _I'm touching Cloud Strife! Eek!_

That was only the beginning. At one point, Cloud stopped talking and placed a hand on Topaz's smooth upper leg. She thought for sure that it was a dream, a mirage, but she could feel his rough skin and the worn leather of his fingerless gloves pressing onto her. Her insides tightened, almost pleasurably. Her mind, though, exploded into chaos. _No, no, no, no, no. I didn't think he would TOUCH me touch me! I'm just a kid! I'm not ready for anything serious..._ In contrast, her face remained perfectly calm, as if gorgeous warriors did this to her all the time.

It was an odd sensation which can only be described as love.

Cloud's one hand stayed on her thigh, and his other hand gently cupped one side of her face, bringing her to face him. The next thing Topaz knew, she was being kissed by Cloud Strife!

She was a searing bonfire of emotion at first. _I'mbeingkissedbyCloudStrifeI'vedreamedaboutthisforeverandnowwhatamIgonnadoamIgonnamessupwhat'sgonnahappen?_ The butterflies from earlier that night had infiltrated her whole body, threatening to make her explode. A couple of seconds passed. Then, for the first time, she really felt her lips in his and kissed him back. She closed her eyes and enjoyed it. It was...beautiful, to say the least. She could only feel him against her, and it was like paradise in its purest form. That's all there was to it.

The kiss ended far too soon for Topaz. Cloud still held her close, though, looking at her in a way that Topaz had never seen him look at anyone. He touched her face, his other hand still on her leg. "You have the most beautiful eyes I have ever seen," he said tenderly. "Thighs?" teased Topaz. Cloud laughed smoothly, and it sounded like life unfurling from winter snow. "Those too."


	8. Chapter 8

(Topaz here! Whoohoo! Last chapter time! At last, it's all finished. It may seem kind of short to some, only being eight chapters,but it took a LOT of work. I want to thank everybody who read and commented on this story. Enjoy, and let me know what you think! -Topaz Fox)

Night was waning, giving way to the first speck of morning light. The party wouldn't last much longer. The lovely couple on the couch remained there, blissful beyond blissful. Topaz's hair somehow ended up escaping the confines of the bun it was in. It trailed everywhere, framing Topaz's happy face as she lay on her side, resting on Cloud's solid chest. She felt the thick fabric of Cloud's half-armor against her cheek, felt his two strong arms encircling her, and thought for sure that she had found some sort of heaven.

She sighed. Cloud started stroking her back. "Topaz," he said quietly. "My little gem." She snuggled up closer to him. "Cloud, I think I love you," she said sleepily. Although she wasn't looking at him, she could feel him smile down at her. "I love you too, little gem. But..."

"But what?" A very small chord was missed in their symphony.

"I feel like a traitor."

"Why?"  
He stopped stroking her back and started playing with her hair, taking locks of it and winding them around his fingers. "Back at my old home," he murmured, "there was one person I didn't tell you about. A girl...a girl with a braid and a pink dress, and eyes like meadows. I don't even remember her name. Maybe the Heartless made my memory bad, or maybe I've chosen to forget it since I met you..."

There was a pause. He continued, "But I remember thinking she was, you know, my...destiny. Some people would say she was the One. I have been searching for her ever since my world was destroyed. I loved her...I still love her, I guess. But now...I met you. And now it feels like you're the one for me. I don't know what to do. Can someone have two destinies, two Ones?"

If Topaz hadn't been so intoxicated with love and joy, she would have felt...betrayed. But her love for this man allowed her to understand. Her eyes were unclouded. She could see his plight. She thought for a moment and looked up at him, momentarily stunned by his perfection. Words found their way past her lips. "I think...you should live in the present. Keep looking for this girl, if you care about her. Don't let me stop you. When you find her...worry then. But right now, I want to stay with you. I'm okay with whatever you choose to do. I only want to stay by your side."

Cloud smiled and kissed her again. The jealousy and distaste for this other girl would probably hit her tomorrow. Now, though, she was all happiness.

"But another thing I worry about," said Cloud, "is that we have such a great age difference. You're barely past being a child, if you don't mind me saying. It...concerns me. I don't know if I'll be able to have a real relationship with you. I don't want to be the one to break your innocence."

"How are you sure I'm a kid? I never told you how old I was."  
"Kabira did."

Topaz sat bolt upright. "Kabira! My sister Kabira?"

Cloud grinned, something that Topaz had never seen him do. "The very same. She told me all about you."

_Baby Kabira's still alive! I can't believe it!_ "You found her? Where is she?"

"She was being attacked by some fiends in Halloween Town a few days ago. I beat them off and noticed how much she looked like you. She told me that she was your younger sister. You should see her. She's like a regular Halloween Town local. Fits right in."

Topaz began to laugh and cry at the same time. Cloud was startled. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked, unsure. Topaz shook her head, her body heaving with laughter, yet tears streaming down her face. "N-no," she choked, trying to calm down. "Just the opposite. I-I'm so...happy. I don't know what to do with myself..." She fell against Cloud, who was sitting up now, and cried into him. He held her until she had stopped crying.

She wiped her eyes. "Sorry. I probably seem pretty silly right now, huh?" Cloud kissed the top of her head. "Not at all. I...I understand."  
It was nearly morning now. The sun was on the verge of rising, and at last, Topaz told Cloud that she had to go home. She stood up to go, but having been seated for hours and hours, she fell down onto the couch again. "My legs aren't fit for walking just yet," she said sheepishly. Cloud hugged her. "Good."

Finally, though, Topaz insisted that she must go. "I gotta go to sleep before I die from tiredness," she told Cloud. He nodded. "Me too. That fight took more out of me than I first expected." The two rose, wobbly, to their feet, embraced one last time, and prepared to go their separate ways. Before they parted, Topaz said, "Keep an eye out for me. I'd love to do something like this again."

"Where will you be?"

"Oh, you know. Here. There. Around. You'll definitely see me again."

"Is that a promise?"

"It's a promise."

With that, Topaz left the underground room, trying not to trip as she ascended the stairs that led up into the outside world. She left the Colosseum and blinked in the dawn air. The sunrise was just taking place, pink and purple flames dancing on the horizon. Topaz looked at the sizzling colors and remembered everything that had happened that night. She looked at the possibilities of the future, seeing how perhaps she could have found true love; and she saw how maybe, just maybe, her family could still be alive. _I can't wait to see Kabira again._

The Snow Raven was sitting where Topaz had left it, awaiting her return. She went inside, set an auto-piloted course for Halloween Town, flung her sandals off, and collapsed into her bed. As the ship rumbled to life, she closed her eyes. "What a wonderful life a storyteller lives," she whispered aloud. _And maybe...maybe I should try archery._ She smiled at the thought and drifted into a happy, well-deserved sleep.

-Fin-


End file.
